Tips for Modifying a Redding 9mm Seating Stem-Ring around bullet nose

[Alex G]

Hello all!
Recently purchased a Redding 9mm seater die to replace the Lee currently on my XL-750. It has the #12 seater plug which appears to be designed for FMJ-RN type projectiles, however it leaves a very distinctive ring around the bullet nose even when seating true FMJ projectiles. The cases are expanded and belled, so I know it’s not an excessive neck tension issue.

I’ve seen videos of guys fill the seater with epoxy and mold it to the projectile and distribute the force, as well as have heard of some using hot glue to do the same thing.

Has anyone done this, and if so are there any things I should be aware of?

 

[CQB45ACP]

Hello all!
Recently purchased a Redding 9mm seater die to replace the Lee currently on my XL-750. It has the #12 seater plug which appears to be designed for FMJ-RN type projectiles, however it leaves a very distinctive ring around the bullet nose even when seating true FMJ projectiles. The cases are expanded and belled, so I know it’s not an excessive neck tension issue.

I’ve seen videos of guys fill the seater with epoxy and mold it to the projectile and distribute the force, as well as have heard of some using hot glue to do the same thing.

Has anyone done this, and if so are there any things I should be aware of?

Somewhere in this thread is a picture of my modified Redding seater.https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/micrometer-adjustable-seating-dies.888160/
I used JBWeld, let it set for several hours and THEN assembled the die and carefully raised the ram with a cartridge to form the RN bullet in the semi hardened epoxy. This was 45acp.

 

[AJC1]

If your just getting a ring you can cut or polish off the abrupt edge that is causing it. I have had to do this on several of my dies. The first one the rcbs factory polished the seating stem removing the edge. If I have that problem now I use a cutter to remove it. Depending on your chamfer tool angle that may work. The vld style doesn't work as well in my experience.

 

[Alex G]

I used JBWeld, let it set for several hours and THEN assembled the die and carefully raised the ram with a cartridge to form the RN bullet in the semi hardened epoxy.

Interesting! How well did it shape/hold the bullet profile after being partially set?

If your just getting a ring you can cut or polish off the abrupt edge that is causing it.

I actually tried this, and it helped some but still creates the ring in the jacket because of the tiny contact surface area. IMO their seater plug needs a re-design.

 

[AJC1]

Interesting! How well did it shape/hold the bullet profile after being partially set?

I actually tried this, and it helped some but still creates the ring in the jacket because of the tiny contact surface area. IMO their seater plug needs a re-design.

When I did my modification it was to a rcbs seating stem that was for a rcbs cast bullet. Your stem may be totally incorrect fit for the shape of bullets your using and in that case a different stem may be the correct fix. Hornaday makes that change the easiest with wide availability of different stems at a reasonable price. Rcbs has such great customer service they will make it right by modifying or sending you the right stem. I dont have any depth of experience with redding to give you the path for them. If redding doesn't have a solution there are machinist here that make them. I hope to gain that skill myself.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Interesting! How well did it shape/hold the bullet profile after being partially set?

I actually tried this, and it helped some but still creates the ring in the jacket because of the tiny contact surface area. IMO their seater plug needs a re-design.

The shape held perfectly—just kept the ram up overnight until fully hardened. I was after only a very shallow indentation—not much more than the bullet nose.

 

[EricBu]

I'm running 3 different modified seating plugs for RNFP bullets for that very reason. My 45 Colt seating die is a redding, 38SPC is a hornady, and my .357 is RCBS. I filled the seating plug with epoxy. Coated a bullet with lithium grease, then lightly compress the bullet into the plug with my vice. Left it for several days. Pulled bullet out, and lightly polished with a dremel, inside and outside. On the 3 calibers I'm running with the modified seating plugs, I've got several thousand rounds through them now and they've been flawless, no more rings or crooked seating.

Also, RCBS will make you a custom plug. Contact their support via their website, it will take a week to hear back. They'll give you the information to send them a few bullets to make it. I haven't done it for the RCBS one as my epoxy mod is working just fine.

Edit to add: I started with the RN plug for each.

 

[BrotherMaynard]

(I think I saw this here but the search function is not working for me at the moment.)

I've had good luck with a bit of aluminum foil and hot glue:

- remove seating stem
- add drop of hot glue to top of stem
- place 1/4"-3/8" ball of foil into stem
- replace stem
- place inverted, empty .223 casing onto shell holder
- place bullet with target profile onto inverted casing
- run ram up to form foil ball to desired shape

It doesn't take a lot of force to accomplish the desired shape and the foil/glue combination is easily removed if/when you have to re-do it. Some expressed concern about the modified seater keeping the bullet centered but I have not experienced that.

 

[Alex G]

You guys are the best!

Thinking this is how I’ll do it when I get home from work:
1) clean and degrease the stem
2) mount seating die in my single stage as to seat only and not crimp, stem removed
3) Mix JB weld and fill stem, leaving slight room for an air gap up in the stem (which can compress instead of squishing JB weld everywhere)
4) if JB is rigid enough, thread stem into die
5) use a completed dummy round with desired projectile, lube the projectile (any advice on what lube works best is appreciated, I’m considering Redding sizing wax or marine grease)
6) Raise ram with dummy round into seating die until dummy projectile nestles into stem and leave overnight

have I missed anything?

 

[Alex G]

(I think I saw this here but the search function is not working for me at the moment.)

I've had good luck with a bit of aluminum foil and hot glue:

- remove seating stem
- add drop of hot glue to top of stem
- place 1/4"-3/8" ball of foil into stem
- replace stem
- place inverted, empty .223 casing onto shell holder
- place bullet with target profile onto inverted casing
- run ram up to form foil ball to desired shape

It doesn't take a lot of force to accomplish the desired shape and the foil/glue combination is easily removed if/when you have to re-do it. Some expressed concern about the modified seater keeping the bullet centered but I have not experienced that.

Interesting…
How consistent is it over quantities of bullets?

 

[CQB45ACP]

You guys are the best!

Thinking this is how I’ll do it when I get home from work:
1) clean and degrease the stem
2) mount seating die in my single stage as to seat only and not crimp, stem removed
3) Mix JB weld and fill stem, leaving slight room for an air gap up in the stem (which can compress instead of squishing JB weld everywhere)
4) if JB is rigid enough, thread stem into die
5) use a completed dummy round with desired projectile, lube the projectile (any advice on what lube works best is appreciated, I’m considering Redding sizing wax or marine grease)
6) Raise ram with dummy round into seating die until dummy projectile nestles into stem and leave overnight

have I missed anything?

I used some general gear grease because that’s what I had.

 

[Alex G]

I used some general gear grease because that’s what I had.

Good to know it works! No issues with sticking or making a mess out of the seating surface?

 

[CQB45ACP]

Good to know it works! No issues with sticking or making a mess out of the seating surface?

Nope, just wiped it off and cleaned with alcohol.

 

[BrotherMaynard]

Interesting…
How consistent is it over quantities of bullets?

So far, so good. I am about 200 rounds in with some 44 cal RNFP and do not see any issues with aesthetics or accuracy (at least within the context of my limited capabilities).

 

[SingleActionAndrew]

Also, RCBS will make you a custom plug. Contact their support via their website, it will take a week to hear back. They'll give you the information to send them a few bullets to make it.

Redding will too. They will ask for 5 bullets. I was surprised by the reasonable price.

Alternatively, and interestingly, Redding tech support also suggested filling the plug with RTV silicone. For my use case I was seeking to seat off the shoulder of a SWC and didn't want to seat off the bullet tip but that's an interesting idea for a flat point.

 

[Alex G]

Redding will too. They will ask for 5 bullets. I was surprised by the reasonable price.

Alternatively, and interestingly, Redding tech support also suggested filling the plug with RTV silicone. For my use case I was seeking to seat off the shoulder of a SWC and didn't want to seat off the bullet tip but that's an interesting idea for a flat point.

Interesting! How much do they charge, and do they totally custom machine a new one, or do you send them your existing one?

 

[CQB45ACP]

Redding will too. They will ask for 5 bullets. I was surprised by the reasonable price.

Alternatively, and interestingly, Redding tech support also suggested filling the plug with RTV silicone. For my use case I was seeking to seat off the shoulder of a SWC and didn't want to seat off the bullet tip but that's an interesting idea for a flat point.

Interesting. I’m almost positive they told me essentially I was on my own because I indeed did it on my own. Wish I’d kept the emails. I probably asked the wrong questions.

But anyway, before I did the JBWELD mod to my Redding competition seater for RN, I slowly (using sand paper and rounded Arkansas stones) removed all but the shoulder touching surfaces of one of their micrometer inserts for a standard seating die. It is now my dedicated seater for 45ACP SWC.